The PT Stocking Project

i haven't written in awhile- life has been happening- BUT there's something really special that i wanted to share.

last night, i spent a good 2 hours organizing 100 stockings filled with all sorts of great stuff, donated by people in our church for kids at a local housing community. 5 large totes and a giant cooler overflowing with a community's response to God's call.

for a lot of the kids at this housing community, this will be their only christmas present. I know christmas isnt about presents- it's about hope coming into the world- but when you're five years old and youve been waiting for a month to see what Santa will bring you and nothing shows up under the tree, it kind of makes you not feel so great. the goal with this project was to show these kids that people genuinely care for them, and i'm so excited to see their response tonight at the christmas party.

God has been showing up big time in this project- the office manager freely gives Erin and Amy keys to the office; you never see that kind of stuff- "oh, hey stranger, have some office keys." the response from the church has been incredible- eight 25-gallon trash cans overflowing with coats, 100 stockings overflowing with presents, 20 or so extra stockings that came out of nowhere for kids who have just moved in or whatever we need them for- people are responding to Jesus's call to bring heaven to earth, to value each other, to care for one another. it's the coolest thing in the world.

i've had a hard time getting in the christmas spirit this year, just because everything has been so rushed and the weather's been weird, but this, THIS is what Christmas is about- spreading the hope of Christ, sharing life together, not going it alone. i'll post tomorrow with an update and some pictures of the party. if you're not doing anything tonight and you're around CCity, stop by Park Terrace anytime from 5-7 and have a cookie with us. God is at work, and it's unbelievably cool to see His people respond to the call.

Everyone needs to read this.

Rob Wegner is unbelievably on point with this one.

Here's a snippet:

You were made to slay a giant.

But here’s the question: Do you know which one?

Do you know where your giant lives? Do you know what your sling is? You have a unique set of God-given skills you can leverage to take that giant down.

David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV)

The Hebrew for the phrase can also be translated:
-Commander of the Lord Army’s
-The God of Angel Armies
-The God who is at war.

We live in a world at war, a cosmic battle between Good and Evil. Until we come to terms with war as the context of our days, we will misunderstand life. We will misinterpret 90 percent of what is happening around us and to us. We will misunderstand who we are.